Dear Webmaster

  Hello, my name is Young Shin Choi, currently a sophomore student in Korea University. I am sending this letter to whom it may concern for the purpose of fixing wrongful information that has been uploaded via your website. Recently by chance, I had the opportunity to visit one of your websites: http://shineyvisions.com/adventures/10-helpful-hints-for-first-time-visitors-to-okinawa . There, however, an ocean located between the Korea Peninsula and Japan was written as the Sea of Japan. The proper name of this ocean is ‘East Sea’; hence I solemnly request that ‘Sea of Japan’ being written in the map be altered to ‘East Sea '.

For more than twenty years, starting from 1992, Japan and South Korea have been involved in a diplomatic controversy of deciding whether the name of the ocean that borders Japan, Korea peninsula, Russia be named as ‘Sea of Japan’ or ‘East Sea’. In 1992 the South Korean government began to officially reject the name ‘Sea of Japan’ by addressing the issue at the 6th UN conference under standardization of geographical names. Our government points out and utilizes old maps as a very valid evidence that the term we use is legitimate. The term ‘East Sea’ first appeared in a historical document dating back to as early as 59 B.C. which transparently proves that the name was first used 1,700 years before the first appearance of the ‘Sea of Japan’. Furthermore, considering the historical background of Japan colonizing the Korean Peninsula during Joseon Dynasty (1910-1945) which is the previous dynasty of South Korea, it could be concluded that Japan exploited us in various areas. In addition, naming the ‘East Sea’ as the ‘Sea of Japan’ could actually undermine the sovereignty of Dokdo, which is an island that contains abundant natural resources and is located between the Korean peninsula and Japan, of the Korean government.

Small difference as it may seem, your contribution would be favorable for not only Koreans in our generation but also for our descendants as well. Please read my Email thoroughly and consider once again your influence. Thank you for your precious time and concern. I truly will be anticipating your reply.

Yours Sincerely,

Young Shin Choi.